by Annette Pinder 

It was a typical day in May at Williamsville South High School when Ian Toutounji, a freshman, collapsed and stopped breathing on the football field during a kickball game. It was also an ordinary day for Ian’s mom, Lindsey Toutonji, an English teacher at Maple East Elementary School, when she received a call from Ian’s assistant principal. “Not wanting to alarm me, he told me Ian had been hurt and that I needed to get to the school.”

Ryan Hayes, Ian’s PE teacher, quickly administered CPR. Travis Denman, another PE teacher, retrieved the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED), while Cruz Ramos, another student, called 911. Daniel Girzone, a senior student, volunteer firefighter, and EMT, arrived and rushed to Ian’s aid. Ryan, Daniel, and Sandy Pennella (the school nurse) alternated CPR. In addition to using the AED, Daniel placed an Ambu bag (a portable breathing unit) on Ian. 

Lindsey said, “It was a miracle. Daniel was there to help only because his lacrosse coach moved his team’s practice to an earlier time. Daniel’s ability to use the AED restored Ian’s heart to a normal rhythm. Although Ian lost consciousness and stopped breathing, he never lost oxygen flow to his body. When the ambulance arrived to take him to Golisano Children’s Hospital, Ian had a pulse, was breathing, and I could accompany him. Ian’s father, Freddie, met us at the hospital, where Ian remained in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for 8 days.”

While cardiac arrest in a child is typically due to a blow to the chest or genetic factors, Ian’s tests revealed no abnormalities. He now has an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD), which will prevent this from happening again. His defibrillator battery needs replacement every 13 years, and the lead to his heart every 30 years. Best of all, Ian has been cleared to play his favorite sport, baseball, but he is no longer able to play contact sports. 

According to the American Heart Association, 90% of cardiac arrests are fatal, and 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest each year. Knowing that immediate CPR and proper AED use can double or triple a person’s chance of survival, Lindsey hopes to collaborate with the Heart Association to offer CPR and AED training in our community.

Lindsey, Freddie, and Ian’s sister Lila, who attends Mill Middle School, are incredibly grateful for the coordinated efforts of the heroic team that saved Ian. Reminding people that “Cardiac arrest is not rare, but surviving cardiac arrest is,” Lindsey says, “We need to acknowledge the crucial role of bystanders. The more people trained in CPR and AED, the more these devastating statistics can change.”
 

The entire team of Williamsville South rescuers will receive the Heartsaver Hero Award from the Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills for their efforts during the first preseason game at the new Highmark Stadium on August 15, where you can also meet Ian and his family. The Heart Association encourages people to attend the Buffalo Heart Walk on September 12.

Photo by Hermann Studios